They Said It ...

Game Quotes: Rockets 84, Jazz 75

ROCKETS HEAD COACH JEFF VAN GUNDY

(on the Rockets' problems in the 1st half) "We set some big screens.
Sometimes when you want something so bad, it works against you a little bit.
I think that's what happened with them in the 1st half."

(on changes in the play of both teams in the 2nd half) "I'm sure that when they look at their film, they will see some shots that were defended well and other ones where they were just missed and I'm sure we're going to see the same thing. It was hard-fought. They worked us over on the boards for the most part. We defended the free throw really well tonight, but that's how close series are, sometimes you make or miss. We've talked about strategy and sometimes it's just that simple -- making or missing. We were discombobulated, they did a great job against us. When the intensity rolls, instead of us doing what we do, we were scattered and frantic and that's a byproduct of very good defense on Utah's part."

TRACY McGRADY

(on the first half) "You know, coming into a playoff series, happy to be back after a dismal season last year, just the anticipation and excitement just to be in the playoffs in that first game you always have the jitters, it was just one of those halves where I couldn't get it going because I wanted it so bad."

(on the execution by the Jazz) "I was just getting what they gave us. Just taking what the defense gave us. They were playing extremely aggressive on the defensive end on me, and my thing was to drive the ball and create shots for my teammates. So that opened it up a little bit for us in the 1st half.
I necessarily couldn't get it going as far as my offense, but made a couple of good plays in the 1st half."

(on his play) "I told myself at halftime to calm down. I had to take a couple of deep breaths and gather myself together because I was on a high.
Even before the game, coming to the arena, I'm sitting in the car and my palms were sweating and I just calmed myself down the 2nd half. Coming out of third quarter I was more relaxed and just more relaxed on my offense and on my jumpers."

RAFER ALSTON

(on the Rockets' control of the 2nd half) "We were able to get our hands and deflect some passes. We got some steals, we were able to find Tracy
(McGrady) and get him going in the 2nd half. In the 1st half we struggled not only with our shot, but also converting on defense late in the 2nd quarter and really trying to take away the catch and shoot."

(on the halftime speech) "Continue to keep playing and just hang in there.
We knew that we would get Tracy (McGrady) going and we had Yao (Ming) established. He kept going right on through."

SHANE BATTIER

(on the Rockets' 1st half struggles) "We wanted to win the game and hit a home run in the 1st 5 minutes tonight. We just didn't play Rockets basketball. Our spacing was poor, we were rushing shots. At halftime, Coach (Van Gundy) told us to relax, to play like we've played all year long. We did a great job of starting the 3rd quarter and we held on in the 4th to win it."

(on whether the Rockets got Utah's attention with the win) "There is a long road ahead of us. There are a lot of adjustments that we can make. Matt Harpring had a great game tonight. We have to try to figure out a way to take him away. The pick and roll was still giving us problems. We will come in tomorrow and look at those things and try to correct them."

YAO MING

(on the Rockets' 2nd half comeback) "The key was our defense. We made them miss a lot of shots. We pushed them out of the paint and we rebounded well.
That's why we had a couple of fast-break points, easy points. Of course in the 2nd half, T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) played a lot better. That's the way he usually plays. I knew he would come back."

(on his defense of Carlos Boozer) "He (Carlos Boozer) is a key player for the Utah Jazz, no question. Also, with (Mehmet) Okur, I think you have to shut him off. Against a great player, you can't totally shut him down, but we tried as hard as we could to give him those shots he didn't want to take.
We tried to take away his fade-away shot, like pick and roll, one step or pick and flair. He still can score, but he scored those points that we can live with."

UTAH JAZZ HEAD COACH JERRY SLOAN

(on what happened to his offense in the 2nd half) "We missed shots. We had good looks at the basket, we just missed some shots. I thought we had some wide-open shots, we weren't able to make them, we missed some free throws...I believe we missed 6 free throws in the 2nd half and those things keep you in the ball game, so you hope to have a chance to finish a ball game. We got too big a gap and couldn't close it and obviously (Tracy) McGrady had a big 2nd half. We were doing the best we could because he's a terrific player and he makes it more difficult to guard him. What we do is spread ourselves out pretty thin."

(on the game) "I thought we executed all night pretty well. We got good looks at the basket and we're not going to get as many lay-ups, obviously, because of their size. They're a great defensive team and the put a lot of pressure on you and you have to make some shots. I thought we had good looks at the basket; we weren't able to drop them down."

CARLOS BOOZER

(on the key to the game) "The third quarter really turned it around. T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) hit a shot and then kept hitting them. We got in a dog fight and couldn't get over the hump."

(on the game) "We missed a good shot at winning this game. We are going to learn what we did good or bad and get ready for the next game. We did alright but we have to make shots and play better defense."

(on Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming's play) "Tracy (McGrady) is a great player and great players do make shots. We did a great job on Yao (Ming) but we'll have to figure things out and be ready for the next game."

(on Deron Williams' play) "He played well in the first half but he has to pick it up and get the same performance in the second half."

DEREK FISHER

(on the loss) "There are no moral victories in the playoffs. There are a lot of things we can take from this game and build on the series. There are so many things that happened in the game that caused us to lose."

(on the key to Houston's comeback) "Houston made an adjustment at the half.
He (Tracy McGrady) was handling the ball in transition and was able to get more space to get off his shot."

DERON WILLIAMS

(on the key to Houston's turnaround) "In the third quarter Houston turned it around when T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) made his shots. We tried to trap him but when he got hot it was tough to stop him."

(on the game) "We played a good game for the most part but didn't hit shots down the stretch. We can play a lot better and we know we can beat them."

(on the Rockets play) "Houston is a tough defensive team and real physical and they don't let you make easy baskets. We knew it would be a dog-fight and a defensive battle. The made a nice run (in the second half) and we seemed to hang our heads a bit.'

(on the series) "We have seven games, hopefully, and we need to steal one game in Houston and hopefully we will get it Monday."

MATT HARPRING

(on the game) It's a tough loss. I thought we had the game in the first half. In the third quarter we couldn't hit a shot and they got their confidence going. It was a little off-night for us but I feel we are confident we can beat this team. We missed some shots and they started making theirs and got the momentum back in the third quarter."

(on Tracy McGrady and the Rockets play) "Tracy (McGrady) caught his rhythm in the third quarter and that is going to happen to great players. What makes Houston such a good team is that they have two great players that you have to try and stop. We tried to change up our schemes but we'll have to do a better job next game."

PAUL MILLSAP

(on his play) "I felt good but I was very disappointed to lose this game. We played well defensively but we have to step our offensive game up."

(on the key to the game) "We missed a couple of assignments defensively in the third quarter on T-Mac (Tracy McGrady) and he got off. Big time players make big plays and they got rolling and there is nothing you can do about it."